Hi! I recently completed the two endings of the game. I wanted to create a board to discuss the story and the inspirations it draws from. If your someone who hasn't completed the game yet or gotten the secret second ending, I would suggest not reading this. I think it would severely ruin your enjoyment of the story of the game if I gave it away to you before you experienced it for yourself!

If you have finished the game, or just don't care, well... Lets get started.

This is probably the most obvious part of the story, but In case you don't know it, I will cover it here.

Rain water from Clouds trickles down from the mountains and forms Rivers, which then drain into the Oceans. This Water is evaporated by the energy from the sun, turning into a gas in the air, forming new Clouds. This process then repeats over and over again, and is largely responsible for the success of life on our planet.


The Naiad (Freshwater) and the player follow this same journey, we are born high in the mountains from the Mother Cloud's rainfall, and then slowly trickle down to the ocean (where the Oceanid represents the saltwater, our sister). We become weaker and weaker from not only from human pollution we encounter along the way, but also the process of Evaporation. Every time we use a sunspot, we evaporate a little more, until we disappear into water vapor.

After evaporating completely, The Naiad will ascend as water vapor into the sky, starting the final level of the game- Rainbow. As you may already know, Rainbows are formed when airborne water refracts the Light entering it like a prism. Creating the appearance of a rainbow river- or path through the sky.


As you travel along this river, you encounter animals that turn into steams of different colors when you touch them. (This is an important thing that will be brought up later.) At the end of the Rainbow, you will enter a space-like area where you will see a cloud and a shadow in opposing directions from you. The cloud represents the Path of Light, while the Shadow represents the unlockable Path of Dark.


THE PATH OF LIGHT

By taking the path of light you will encounter three clouds who congratulate you for taking the journey to this point and encourage you to go just a little further. You will meet a godlike figure at the end of the path, who congratulates you for being strong and kind by protecting the river, and for 'Taking the Light with you into the Darkness' The game dosent refer to her by name, but given the greco-roman inspirations with the Naiads and Oceanids, I choose to refer to her as Hemera. Her Light, her Energy, is responsible for the movement of the Water Cycle. She will cry Light streams, and then turn The Naiad into a Cloud, starting the cycle anew.


Another Goddess, or The same Light Goddess?

A zoom out of the first level in the game will reveal a similar looking figure to Hemera. Is this the same goddess, now taking a more earthly form? I'm not sure. As you can see, this figure doesn't cup you in both hands, she doesn't have long flowing hair, and her eyelashes appear different. I think its possible this may be representing a different Goddess. Perhaps Demeter? I have no direct proof of this. But it is interesting that the epilogue dialogue states 'The rain kisses the rock. From a tear, life is born.' The Rain, which has been moved here by the Light- interacts with the Rock- creating a river. Is the creation of the Naiad and the Clouds a group effort between multiple goddesses?

By choosing to follow the Shadow, it will beckon you forward along the Path of Dark. You can only unlock this by 'pledging' 7 magical music notes hidden away in secret caves.

Whispering 'Psst, This way.' Three blobs of shadow will lead you onwards. Up until this point in the game the Dark seemed like an antagonistic counter to the cloud. Making discouraging comments as you try to help animals or stop the human pollution. But now it seems encouraging? It shows you a cut scene of the naiad surrounded by different elements of nature, each associated with a different note you collected. Then after the cut scene ends, a pair of wings appear behind The Naiad, and as you swim upwards there are fireworks.


A portal will open up to you, guarded by two notably not-real dragons. Unlike the real, colorful dragon on the Path of Light, These dragons are colorless drawings. This entire segment feels ominous to me, its like something is trying to pull any trick it can to make you keep going forwards.


This Portal will lead you to series of gameplay trials, one for each musical note you collected.
HEY! Remember that comment I made earlier about the animals turning into color streams being important?


During one of the trials you will encounter a purple human, held in a massive humanoid hand. After you complete his musical trial, he will turn into a purple stream of color and follow you like the animals on the Path of Light did. Notably this is the only color stream you will encounter while on the Path of Dark. This is intentional symbolism! While the other animals retain their innocence- their light- their playful nature. The human has given in to the dark and its discouraging and disparaging comments, most of humanity has lost that connection to the light.

After completing the trials you will encounter a Second Goddess. Who congratulates you on following the path she laid for you, for following her will, for choosing to escape the Cycle. I have chosen to refer to her as Nyx because of her associations with Darkness, Secrets, and Sound. But the Game never gives her a proper name.


She cries sound. And then instructs you to sing all 8 musical notes, each encased in crystal and then shattered as you sing them. She then states "You are Free." and The Naiad disappears into the darkness. The same credit sequence plays except this time, there is not rainbow light streams. This time it is just sound symbols and monochrome.


A bird wakes up and looks around. The same Naiad, reincarnated.
Free?
Or a new cycle?
Has this entire path really been a way to free the Naiad? Or is it a way to take power away from the Light Goddess and The Earth?

If you come back to the game and look at the musical notes on the menu, you will notice only one is not glowing brightly. Which I feel symbolizes its connection to Nyx.
I also don't know what to make of the two combined poems.

Naiads and Oceanids within the game are considered guardians of their specific bodies of water. However in real mythology, They were more generically just considered playful water spirits that occasionally did larger roles within stories. Such as being underlings of larger gods, acting as companions to gods or people, or personifying specific bodies of water. They were also considered to be guardians of Sailors and Children.

The Phoenix can only be met after completing the story. Its a mythological bird associated with the concepts of the Sun and Rebirth. This bird always comes back from its old ashes as a new flame. Its presence is another metaphor for the Water Cycle and the Naiad.

The Dragon can be met after completing a purple flower time trial. It has the appearance of an eastern dragon. Which were considered godly or spiritual in nature by different countries. China associated dragons with the rivers, seas, and weather. Much like with Naiads or Oceanids, they may personify specific bodies of water. Cultures there would do religious ceremonies to the dragons in an attempt to control the water cycle. Before meet the dragon in-game you might notice water vessels in the river, that light up in your presence. This indicates that some of the nearby humans are aware that this is the Dragon's home. The soundtrack that you hear before encountering the dragon is also called 'Numen' which means 'divine will' or 'divine presence' in Latin. Its a magical moment, because you- The Naiad are meeting another fellow water-spirit for the first time. One that may possibly more powerful than you. You can also later encounter this same dragon by going though the Path of Light ending.